John Berry: Below state park has been a hot spot

During the past week, we have had two rains (over an inch here in Cotter), cool temperatures and heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories).

The lake level at Bull Shoals fell 0.3 of a foot to rest at 1.4 feet below the seasonal power pool of 659 feet. This is 37.4 feet below the top of the flood pool.

Upstream, Table Rock Lake fell 0.6 of a foot to rest at 2 feet below the power pool and 16 feet below the top of the flood pool. Beaver Lake fell 0.4 of a foot to rest at 2.2 feet below the seasonal power pool or 11.8 feet below the top of the flood pool.

On the White, we have had low levels of generation in the morning and heavier generation in the afternoon. There has been no wadable water. Norfork Lake fell 0.3 of a foot to rest at 1.3 feet below the seasonal power pool of 553.75 feet and 27.5 feet below the top of the flood pool. On the North Fork, we have had wadable water most mornings and heavy generation in the afternoon.

The water level for the top of the power pool has been reset lower for some of the lakes in the White River system. With all of the lakes in the White River system below the power pool and the temperatures moderating, I predict we will receive more wadable water in the coming weeks.

The catch-and-release section below Bull Shoals Dam is closed until Jan. 31 to accommodate the brown trout spawn. The state park will be seasonal catch-and-release for the same period. All brown trout must be immediately released. In addition, night fishing is prohibited in this area during this period.

On the White, the hot spot has been the section below the state park. The best time to fish is early morning or late in the afternoon. The hot flies were Y2Ks, prince nymphs, zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead), pheasant tails, copper Johns, pink and cerise San Juan worms, gold-ribbed hare's ears and sowbugs.

Some anglers have been fishing large streamers on the heavy flows we have been getting later in the day and having success. This requires heavy sink tip lines (250 grain or heavier), heavy rods (eight weights or better) and advanced casting skills. The hot flies have been large articulated streamers in various colors.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are extremely low. The smallmouth are less active. The most effective fly has been a tan and brown Clouser minnow. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain. The water can rise very quickly.

There has been wadable water on the North Fork, and it has been pounded. Fish early or during the week to avoid the crowds. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is working on a bank stabilization project downstream from the Ackerman access, which is causing some severely stained water conditions when they are working.

The most productive flies have been small midge patterns like zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead). Grasshoppers have produced fish, particularly when used in conjunction with a small nymph dropper (try a size 20 black zebra midge). Double-fly nymph rigs have been very effective.

Try a small, bead-headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended 18 inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise). The fishing is much better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday.

Dry Run Creek has fished well. School is back in session and now is a great time to fish it, particularly during the week when there is no one there. Weekends can get a bit crowded. Numerous brown trout have moved into the creek. The hot flies have been sowbugs and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise). Small orange or peach eggs have been very effective.

The water level on the Spring River is fishable. This is a great place to wade fish when they are running water on the White and North Fork rivers. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash, cerise and hot pink San Juan worms and Y2Ks.

Remember that the White and North Fork rivers and Dry Run Creek are infected with didymo, an invasive alga. Be sure and thoroughly clean and dry your waders (especially the felt soles on wading boots) before using them in any other water. Many manufacturers now are making rubber-soled wading boots easier to clean and not as likely to harbor didymo.

The North Arkansas Fly Fishers have scheduled celebrated fly-tier A. K. Best to present several programs and tie flies at the Bull Shoals-White River State Park Visitors Center both today and Sunday. These programs are open to the public and free of charge.

John Berry, a fishing guide from Cotter, has 30 years of experience fishing local rivers. Contact him at http://www.berrybrothersguides.com or 435-2169.

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John Berry: Below state park has been a hot spot

During the past week, we have had two rains (over an inch here in Cotter), cool temperatures and heavy winds (to include lake wind advisories).